Improvement in knapsack-hammock



6,942 MMJ M I "-PETERS. PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. ,v

A. WILLIAM stis or NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN KNAPSACK-HAMMOCK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4 L870. dated March 8,1861; antedated November 25,1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. WILLIAM Siis, of the city, county, and State ofNew York. have invented a new and Improved Army Knapsack and HammockCombined; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view representing the apparatus rolled up in form of aknapsack for transportation. Fig. 2 is a top view representing it spreadand hung as a hammock.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

The subject of my said invention is an article constructed ofindia-rubber cloth or analogous waterproof material provided at itscorners with suitable cords or straps by which it may be suspended fromstakes, trees, or within a building in the form of a hammock, or may beattached to the shoulders when rolled up in the form of a knapsackcontaining clothing or otherarticles. An interior pouch or pocket isemployed to contain small articles, and serves the purposes of a pillowwhen the article is used as a hammock.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmaybe enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed todescribe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a webbing of india-rubbercloth or of cloth or canvas covered with india-rubber or otherwaterproof material. This webbing may be oblong or of other suitableform, and has cords B B B B securely attached to grommets at itscorners, so that it may be suspended in the form of a hammock in themanner represented in Fig. 2. To the corners at one end are alsoattached straps O O, to pass over the shoulders when the apparatus iscarried in the form of a knapsack, as illustrated in Fig. 1. At the sameend, on the inside, is apouch or pocket, D, employed to contain clothingor other articles, and serving the purpose of a pillow when theapparatus is used as a hammock.

E E E represent strings passed through eyelets, and employed for tyingthe edges of the cloth together when it is used as a knapsack.

They may also assist in suspending and staying the hammock.

The webbing may be suspended as a hammock or supported on legs or laidupon the floor or ground. When it is to be used as a knapsack to carryclothing, any articles which the pouch D will not contain may be simplyrolled up within the webbing and retained by tying the strings E E.

This apparatus is intended to take the place of theindia-rubber blanketand knapsack now in use, and to furnish the soldier with a bed aboveground, either in tent or field, or, when necessary, on the ground, inplace of the indiarubber blanket heretofore used. The soldier sovercoat, woolen blanket, 850., are-to be placed inside of the hammockto be protected from rain, and in being thus kept dry must considerablycontribute to improve and preserve the soldiers health.

The knapsack-hammock, when divested of its contents, can be used onpicket duty or wherever protection against the weather may be desirable.

The use of the hammock, instead of a bedv of straw or other material,must greatly add to the cleanliness of the soldier, and consequently tohis comfort and health.

Thehammock-knapsack when snugly folded will, by placing the strapsacross the chest, throw its weight entirely upon the shoulders,relieving the rest of the body from all strain. Vhen not filled it canbe rolled or folded in any shape to assist the soldier in carrying it.comfortably.

It is also claimed that the soldier will be more reluctant to part withthe knapsack-hammock, its combinations being all to his conifort,whereas experience has proved that on a fatiguing march or battle-fieldthey divest themselves of everything but their rubber blankets.

Ropes have been adopted in preference to leather straps to facilitatethe arranging of the knapsack-hammock for a bed, and the facility ofreplacing a rope, whenever required, in comparison to the difficulty ofrepairing or replacing a leather strap. The numerous ropes will enablethe soldier to fasten the hammock tightly around his body, and thusprotect him from wet and even running waters.

Having thus described my invention, what The above specification of myimproved army knapsack and hammock combined signed I claim as newtherein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As a new article of manufacture, the army this l3thday of October, 1863.

knapsack-l1ammock hereinbefore described,

consisting of tlie Webbing A, pouch D, shouldenstraps B B,slinging-cords G C O G, and

ties E E, all constructed, combined, and arranged in the manner and forthe purposes specified. i a

A. W. sUs.

Vvitnessesi QCTAVIUS KNIGHT, CHARLES DU BoIs.

